Real Life

Katie Linendoll is the technology host for A&E's Emmy-nominated reality show, 'We Mean Business. Here is her battle with Graves' Disease. 

I started with iodine radiation treatments, and quickly noticed changes in my body. I lost half my hair, my eyes bulged out, I felt exhausted and moody, and I started gaining weight for the first time in my life.
Still, I didn't miss a day of work even though I wasn't looking or feeling my best. I think if I'd stayed home and felt sorry for myself I would have been even more miserable. Instead, I chose to be as active as possible, which helped me take my mind off my physical condition and cope better mentally.
I finally found a doctor who understood my situation better. Best of all, he doesn't think I'm crazy when I tell him my bizarre ever-changing symptoms!
Things have been getting better and the lifestyle steps I've taken have made a difference. My diet is much healthier, and I workout hard and consistently so I can still snack and eat desserts when I want! Of course, there are still up and down days. Sometimes before I go on live national television, I have a memory lapse and can't remember anything. But I just say to myself - I know what this is… it's happened before. No need to panic. I'm not losing my mind. I'm in control of the disease, not the other way around. And that's the way it should be.